Reset Button on Case?

[Francisè von Spitroast]

I've never seen a reset button on a case before but I've not exactly had much experience with any good quality computers AKA anything other than office computers with gaming hardware shoved into it. I bought my first new computer a month and a bit ago pre-built (I know that's heresy to some) and was surprised to see an on/off button and a reset button. Today I started my PC to find nothing responding (internet, mouse, keyboard, etc.) and restarting the PC with the on/off button, unplugging accessories, and unplugging power cables didn't fix it, but one press of the reset button and everything's working again after a quick reboot.

I doubt it'd be featured if anything could go wrong with it, but is this a safe thing to use for restarting? And should I be worried that all my USB connections weren't working in the first place? I've not had that happen before and I was stumped on how to fix it if it weren't for the reset button.

[Omega]

The reset button will forcefully turn the computer off and back on again. You do not want to use it unless your computer is frozen. It is like pulling the plug and turning the computer back on.

If your computer is running fine but you are unable to turn it off because you mouse isn't working or whatever, you should instead hit the power button once, this will make it do a normal shutdown.

[Francisè von Spitroast]

Originally posted by Omega:

The reset button will forcefully turn the computer off and back on again. You do not want to use it unless your computer is frozen. It is like pulling the plug and turning the computer back on.

If your computer is running fine but you are unable to turn it off because you mouse isn't working or whatever, you should instead hit the power button once, this will make it do a normal shutdown.

Thank you. So what does pressing the on/off button once do? I thought that was shutting it down fully.

[Rumpelcrutchskin]

It`s preferred to shut down the PC from the menu but if it crashes and you cant close it from menu you can do hard reset, it usually doesnt harm the PC but the potential of some Windows files getting corrupted with improper shutdown is there so use when needed but don`t make a habit of it.
Cases that don`t have separate reset button usually have function of doing the reset by pressing and holding down the on/off button.

[Omega]

Originally posted by Davies Hung:

Originally posted by Omega:

The reset button will forcefully turn the computer off and back on again. You do not want to use it unless your computer is frozen. It is like pulling the plug and turning the computer back on.

If your computer is running fine but you are unable to turn it off because you mouse isn't working or whatever, you should instead hit the power button once, this will make it do a normal shutdown.

Thank you. So what does pressing the on/off button once do? I thought that was shutting it down fully.

When hitting the power button once it will do the same thing as when shutting Windows down normally. Unless you have it configured to do something different.

[Carlsberg]

I, on the other hand have NEVER seen a computer without a reset button, sometimes very small but still there.

Windows does not fully shutdown anymore, it sleeps to enable it to start faster and uses whats called a hibernation file to store system state during the 'shutdown'. By using the reset button you have forced a full boot.

Resetting the machine while running will not physically harm it but it can harm the OS, not shutting windows correctly can lead to file corruption which over time will lead to various issues.

Personally I have fast start and hibernation disabled to prevent this kind of error, (if your running with ssd's then fast start is really not needed because they are fast already).

PS; Disabling hibernation will also reclaim around 12gb of disk space on your boot drive that it uses.

[Francisè von Spitroast]

Originally posted by Omega:

Originally posted by Davies Hung:

Thank you. So what does pressing the on/off button once do? I thought that was shutting it down fully.

When hitting the power button once it will do the same thing as when shutting Windows down normally. Unless you have it configured to do something different.

Oh, I misread your last paragraph somehow. Gotcha. Thank you :)

Originally posted by Rumpelcrutchskin:

It`s preferred to shut down the PC from the menu but if it crashes and you cant close it from menu you can do hard reset, it usually doesnt harm the PC but the potential of some Windows files getting corrupted with improper shutdown is there so use when needed but don`t make a habit of it.
Cases that don`t have separate reset button usually have function of doing the reset by pressing and holding down the on/off button.

Thanks!

[Francisè von Spitroast]

Originally posted by Carlsberg:

I, on the other hand have NEVER seen a computer without a reset button, sometimes very small but still there.

Windows does not fully shutdown anymore, it sleeps to enable it to start faster and uses whats called a hibernation file to store system state during the 'shutdown'. By using the reset button you have forced a full boot.

Resetting the machine while running will not physically harm it but it can harm the OS, not shutting windows correctly can lead to file corruption which over time will lead to various issues.

Personally I have fast start and hibernation disabled to prevent this kind of error, (if your running with ssd's then fast start is really not needed because they are fast already).

I might look into doing the same. I always prefer a full shutdown. As you mentioned, it's not all that necessary with an SSD, which I also have. I've noticed telling it to shutdown just signs me out lately, and I could swear I'm not accidentally pressing sign me out instead.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

The Power Button is also a forceful means of turning the PC off unless you actually set that button to have a function in Windows OS, such as "Shutdown"

I do not recommend connecting the Reset Case Button to your Motherboard, to avoid it ever being presses by accident. As you can do the same thing by holding down the Power button for 5-secs. to force the PC off. Then wait a few secs and turn it back on again. But this as well as the reset button are a last resort measure. Users should not be using those methods on a regular basis. Doing so could result in your OS drive getting corrupted; or any connected drive for that matter.

[_I_]

holding power button for 5sec will force it to turn off, not using windows shutdown

[GOD RAYS ON ULTRA™]

The reset button is a safe way to restart an unresponsive PC. It doesn't cut power so it's considered much safer than turning off or unplugging.

Just simply holding the power button down, unplugging, turning the switch off; those are all considered unsafe ways to recover.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Its not un-safe to cut the power; just as long as you do not turn it back on too quickly.
Reset is not any safer means.

[_I_]

all of the above can corrupt data (if the drive is in use when turned off)
holding power (til shutdown) and tapping it again, is no difference from hitting reset

unplugging or the psu power switch could damage some components i fits a poor psu

[GOD RAYS ON ULTRA™]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

Reset is not any safer means.

Yes it is because it leaves the power on. The other options cut power from the system too abruptly and it isn't safe when compared to the reset button.

[Omega]

Originally posted by The Hardware ʬhisperer:

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

Reset is not any safer means.

Yes it is because it leaves the power on. The other options cut power from the system too abruptly and it isn't safe when compared to the reset button.

There is no difference. Either one will do an abruptly reset the machine leaving it no time to do anything to prepare itself for the poweroff.

If it was writing data to this disk it stops immediately as there is no more operating system telling the hardware what to do.

[Carlsberg]

Originally posted by Omega:

Originally posted by The Hardware ʬhisperer:

Yes it is because it leaves the power on. The other options cut power from the system too abruptly and it isn't safe when compared to the reset button.

There is no difference. Either one will do an abruptly reset the machine leaving it no time to do anything to prepare itself for the poweroff.

If it was writing data to this disk it stops immediately as there is no more operating system telling the hardware what to do.

There is a difference i believe, the reset button does not interrupt power it tells all attached peripherals via motherboard to perform immediate reset, thats why in some cases it does not work depending on the fault and a hard reset via power button is needed.